It is known that fires occur, albeit to a small extent, in engine compartments in vehicles and similar spaces without necessarily being caused by an accident. This is true for all kinds of vehicles, including cars of different sizes, both private cars and transport vehicles from different manufacturers, and other types of vehicles. Car fires are especially serious when fuel participates in the combustion process, and it is usually difficult to restrict such car fires before the whole car has burned. It is usually difficult to establish the precise cause for these fires since the car or the vehicle has often completely burned. However, except in the case of accidents, it is generally presumed that some error in the electrical system, leakage of inflammable liquids, superheating of components, or a combination thereof causes these fires. The components present in the engine compartment have therefore usually been made as secure as possible with regard to fire, and arranged in such a way that fire will not break out. However, measures previously taken have not prevented fires from nevertheless occurring. If, in spite of the measures taken, such a fire breaks out, the only way to fight such a fire is usually by means of a fire extinguisher, which is handled manually and which is located at a suitable place in the car. No automatic fire control system exists in these engine compartments.
As mentioned above, fires may arise in an engine compartment due to electrical faults, fuel leakage or the like. Fires may also arise in different parts of the engine compartment, for example in the forward part of the compartment as viewed in the direction in which the vehicle generally moves. This forward part is relatively cold. The fire may also arise in the rear part which has a higher temperature. The electrical components are usually placed in the cooler parts of the engine compartment and a fire in these parts differs in nature from a fire which has been caused, for example, by a fuel leakage, generally in the warmer part of the engine compartment. It is therefore desirable to provide for an automatic fire extinguishing system which can fight different types of fires in different parts of the engine compartment. The system should be divided into different zones in the engine compartment and accordingly aimed at extinguishing different types of fires.
There has therefore long been a desire to make it possible to build in a fire extinguishing system in an engine compartment or similar space, which is automatically released and extinguishes the fire in its infancy, and which is tailor-made for different parts of the compartment.